Blog:A glowing report

Like waiting for a bus, controversy in the bottled water has been scarce in recent months, only for several ‘scandals’ to rear their heads at once. A report in the New Scientist this week shows that Hungarian brands of bottled water are now getting in on the action.

The report says that some Hungarian brands of life juice contain so much natural radioactivity that regular drinkers could exceed the World Health Organisation’s safety limit. A study by scientists from the University of Veszprem in Hungary found high levels of radium-226 in three out of 18 commercial mineral waters. People drinking a litre or more a day could breach the limit of 100 microsieverts a year recommended for drinking water, by the WHO, they say.

The lead author of the study, Tibor Kovacs, recommends that people avoid drinking the most radioactive water, and stick with tap water.

Next month, the UK’s Food Standards Agency will issue a survey of 161 named brands of bottled water from across Europe. What are the chances of more traffic at the proverbial bus-stop, then?

Crazy days in the Bernstein offices. Taking time out from being one of the world’s top beverage analysts, the Bernstein team, lead by its London-based veteran Trevor Stirling, held its very own taste ...